Valentine's Day
by MarcellusMiro66
Summary: Ten or more stories centering on the Day of Love. Lincoln x Ronnie Anne, Lori x Bobby, and Lucy x Rocky among others. Oh, and Clyde and Cristina are playing Cupid...and each other. (Story #4 - "Where Is Your Heart At?": Clyde and Cristina meet at the same restaurant Lincoln and Ronnie Anne are at. - WIP)
1. Chapter 1: Lincoln x Ronnie Anne

_Hi, everyone, **MarcellusMiro66** here! This is a Valentine's Day short story, centering on several stories taking place on the same day; some of them involve Lincoln as the main character. The pairings I write are the pairings I like, but I will accept fan-requested couples whenever if I can. Also, some of these stories may not take place in the same universe, despite taking place on the same day; they are therefore standalone stories. I suggest being wary. With that said..._

 _Enjoy! If you can..._

* * *

 _ **Story #1: "** **El Tango de Lincoln y Ronnie Anne " (Lincoln x Ronnie Anne [who else?])  
Plot**: Lincoln and Ronnie Anne meet at a restaurant and dance their hearts out.  
 **Characters** : Lincoln, Ronnie Anne, the Loud Family, Bobby  
 **Genre** : Romance & Musical  
 **Rated** : K+/PG (for suggestive themes)  
_

 _ **(Wednesday, February 14, 2018)  
(7:00 PM)**_

Lincoln somehow found himself in a fancy-as-hell restaurant wearing a navy blue suit, a plain white long-sleeve collared shirt (its collar stuck out), a navy blue vest, a pair of navy blue dress pants, a pair of black leather dress shoes, and a red rose boutonniere **_(1)_**. He was full to the brim with frustration, but not in anger and instead uncertainty. He was ultimately uncertain of how his date was going to start _and_ end. The customers and patrons alike took a liking to the already flustered boy, so they promised to look out for his date tonight.

He had absolutely no idea in the slightest, but it was something.

Ronnie Anne somehow found herself in a fancy-as-hell restaurant wearing a purple dress with black puffy shoulder sleeves (a similar black rim at the gown's bottom), an oval purple neck-piece, a pair of two diamonds per ear earrings, and a pair of light purple-pinkish high heel shoes (a diamond on each) **_(2)_**. She was full to the brim with frustration, but not in anger and instead uncertainty. She was ultimately uncertain of how her date was going to start _and_ end. The customers and patrons alike took a liking to the already flustered girl, so they promised to look out for her date tonight.

She had absolutely no idea in the slightest, but it was something.

The host approached Lincoln, "Mr. Loud?"

"Yes?" He looked up at him.

The hostess approached Ronnie Anne, "Miss Santiago?"

"Yes?" She looked up at her.

"Miss Santiago/Mr. Loud will be expecting you."

The host led Lincoln/The hostess led Ronnie Anne to the dance floor, unaware of their respective lover meeting face-to-face on that very same floor.

When they did...

 _ **(" El Tango de Roxanne") [From ****Moulin Rouge!** **]**_

Lincoln and Ronnie Anne locked looks. Loving, lusting looks. They both somehow found it in themselves to begin moving towards each other and make it past the crowd, who had parted ways the moment they stepped onto the dance floor. They both circled each other and gazed into each other's eyes.

 _"You look lovely tonight."_

 _"You don't look bad yourself."_

When the music kicked in...

 ** _The masterful music_. ** The _numbro uno_ when it came to the tango. Theirs was sexy, sultry, and straightforward. Lincoln and Ronnie Anne weren't the biggest fans of musicals, but it would do. Not bad for a Best Picture nominee.

 ** _The elegant embrace_. ** The _numbro dos_ when it came to the tango. Theirs was simple, sensual, and self-assured. Lincoln raised his right hand and placed his left arm around Ronnie Anne's neck/back; Ronnie Anne raised her _left_ hand and placed her _right_ arm around Lincoln's neck/back.

 ** _The perfect posture_. ** The _numbro tres_ when it came to the tango. Theirs was a high head, a straight spine, and a confident chest. Lincoln and Ronnie Anne directly faced each other as they started to sway to the sound of the soft music.

 ** _The basic body movements_. ** The _numero quatro_ when it came to the tango. Lincoln and Ronnie Anne's movements mirrored each other, but both followed the same process: slow, slow, fast, fast, slow. For Lincoln, it was forward left, forward right, forward with his left, to the right with his right, and both feet moving left to meet right. **_Repeat_.** For Ronnie Anne, it was _backward_ right, _backward_ left, _backward_ with her right, to the _left_ with her _left_ , and both feet moving _right_ to meet _left_. **_Repeat_.**

 ** _The fantastic flare_. ** The _numbro cinco_ when it came to the tango. Lincoln added rocks and sways, Ronnie Anne added swivels and turns, and they both added cortes. All of which were precisely progressive, which made it easier for each other to follow. Lincoln's dance moves sufficiently swirled in with Ronnie Anne's dance moves, just as Ronnie Anne's dance moves sufficiently swirled in with Lincoln's. All of the five elements of this dance all came together for Lincoln and Ronnie Anne to perform their rendition of _**El Tango de Roxanne**_...the literal translation being _" **The Tango of Roxanne** "_.

Sooner or later, the song reached its climax and intensity mode, signaling to the both of them that their dancing needed _and_ wanted to pick up its pace. They took their five steps of tango and expanded it as the music increased its tempo. They both had let themselves lose themselves in the rising musical accompaniment the orchestra had played and the frenetic dance moves the couple had produced. For the finishing touches, Lincoln suddenly lifted Ronnie Anne up by her back and spun her around face up. Ronnie Anne didn't let him (or virtually anybody else) see it, but she was overjoyed by Lincoln's lifting of her. The song ended just as Lincoln gently dropped her back down and spun Ronnie Anne around until the final note hit, where the couple ended up face to face.

The audience erupted into applause, cheering and clapping all the same. Ronnie Anne, in the heat of the moment, hugged Lincoln, who returned the hug in response. He saw her foot pop the same way their first kiss was performed. Speaking of kiss... Lincoln softly placed a kiss on Ronnie Anne's lips, Ronnie Anne eagerly returning the kiss just as their eyes closed.

 _"Hey! Twerp!"_

Then their eyes opened up again. They were so lost in the beat that they didn't notice the beat. On the entrance doors. Of the family members running over and stopping dead in their tracks near the dance floor. The Louds and Bobby had found themselves clapping in praise of their brother / his sister for their dance... Well, at least until Lori realized why she was here in the first place,

"Lincoln! Where have you been?" Lori approached her brother with Bobby by her side, "You know, I don't care if you run off with your girlfriend, but you need to tell me - and the other girls, too - these things!"

Lori hugged Lincoln as Lincoln hugged Lori back (albeit reluctantly), Bobby approaching Ronnie Anne and hugging her, "Nice moves, little sis."

"Thanks, big bro." Ronnie Anne hugged Bobby as well before pulling back, "Don't tell anybody else at school, though; I have a reputation to keep."

"Will do." Bobby nodded in understanding. Rita and Lynn Sr. made their way to their son and practically threw themselves all over him, knocking away and over Lori in the process.

"Lincoln! Why didn't you tell us you had a girlfriend?" Lynn Sr. basically babbled.

"She looks _so_ pretty, too! Oh, we're so proud of you!" Rita nodded in approval, Ronnie Anne finding it in herself to walk over to back up her claim that she was _so_ pretty.

"To think, I had my first love when I was your age!" His dad's constant crying, on one hand, was something he inherited from him.

"To think, you kept this from us for almost a year!" His mom's calm composure, on the other hand, was not. He was getting there, though. "I'm impressed."

"Well, that's your son in a nutshell, Mrs. Loud." Ronnie Anne shrugged and rubbed her neck.

"Oh, so this is the girl." Lynn Sr stuck out a hand for Ronnie Anne to shake, "Hello. I'm Lynn Loud Sr., and this is my wife Rita. We're Lincoln's parents. It's a privilege to meet our son's girlfriend."

"My name is Ronnie Anne. The privilege is mine...to meet your son, that is." Ronnie Anne slowly shook Lynn Sr.'s hand, her uncomfortable behavior on full display for Lincoln and everybody else to see. Fortunately for her, Rita caught on quickly and pulled her husband away before addressing her son and his date,

"Lincoln, I expect you to tell us more about your date when it's over." / "Ronnie Anne, I expect you to do the same."

Both kids shared a glance before turning back and nodding in understanding. Rita leaded her husband and daughters out of the restaurant, Bobby taking Lori's side; the two teenagers glanced back to the two children and waved goodbye to them. They waved goodbye back and remained in their spots until they left the premises.

"Your parents are nice."

"Your brother is, too. I should know, though."

The host and hostess looked on with sincere appreciation as Ronnie Anne rested her head on Lincoln's shoulder, proceeding to do the very same thing.

"I think we make a nice matchmaker couple." Cookie Crumbles rest her head on her husband's shoulder.

"You think so, hon?" Hondo Flanks glanced down at his wife.

"I _know_ so, hon." She placed a kiss onto his cheek, "Happy Valentine's Day."

"Happy Valentine's Day, honey." He did the same...as did Lincoln and Ronnie Anne from afar.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Ronnie Anne."

"Happy Valentine's Day...Lincoln."

Ronnie Anne softly kissed Lincoln on the tip of his nose and hugged him, Lincoln's primary thought being: _Yes! She didn't call me "Lame-O" for once._

"Just don't get used to it...Lame-O." She giggled as she continued hugging him, who scoffed in annoyance.

 _I spoke too soon, didn't I?_

"Yes, you did." His eyes widened and glanced towards her, but she feigned ignorance and continued hugging him in comfort. He shrugged and hugged her back, anyway.

 _Best...Valentine's Day...EVER!_

* * *

As the family plus Bobby left the restaurant, the Hispanic teenager's thoughts trailed back to his little sister and her love whom he considered to be the brother he never had.

 _Man, Ronnie Anne... Look how far you've gone. Look at your new life. Look at our old lives and say... **"I did it. I don't need you anymore."** _

_And you have her to thank._

 _. . ._

 _Should I tell Lori...? She doesn't know about her yet. She won't know how to react to her: this is my main concern. Then again, she established my love for me beforehand. She'll accept her, no doubt._

 _I hope..._

"Lori...?"

"Yes, Bobby...?"

"... I need you to come with me. There's someone I would like for you to meet."

"Who?"

"... An old friend."

* * *

 _ **A/N** : Some of the review highlights:_

 _1) **DelfinoBlu** : "It'so cute! I like this story, and I want to see another stories of love on LucyxRocky, ClydexHaiku or ClydexCristina and HaroldxHoward, my favorite couples!"  
_

 _• **Me** : "I have posted a LucyxRocky / ClydexCristina story. I'm currently working on a ClydexHaiku / HaroldxHoward story as of now."_

 _2)_ ** _Weavillain_** _:_ _"Thank you sooooooo much for making this! I cannot get enough of those two._

 _The last bit was the cutest of the whole story. That nose kiss! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! x3 x3 x3_

 _Ahem. Forgive me. I tend to lose it whenever I see a great story about this couple. Great work and I can't wait to see your takes on the other ships, especially Lucky(Rocky x Lucy; they struck gold in the portmanteau department, didn't they?)"_ ** _  
_**

 _• **Me** : "I know, right?!"_

 _3) **Exotos135** : __"Weird, i thought valentine's day was in two days, but oh well, happy day of love!_

 _keep up the good work. :)"_ ** _  
_**

 _• **Me** : "Yeah, I like to start ahead."_

 _4)_ ** _Codymitchell1_** _:_ _"cute update soon :)"_ ** _  
_**

 _• **Me** : "I know it's cute. I will update soon."_

 _5)_ ** _Guest_** _:_ _"Don't know why MLP is in this but hey"_ ** _  
_**

 _• **Me** : "It's a cartoon crossover."_

 _6)_ ** _LuminousShadow_** _:_ _"Fantastic work! I really loved the chemistry between them!"_

 _•_ ** _Me_** _: "Yes, I try."_

 _7)_ ** _Bailey_** _: "This is awesome!"  
_

 _• **Me** : "Awesomely good!"_

 _8)_ ** _aNobodyFangirl_** _:_ _"The Ronniecoln peeps are good dancers, ehh?_

 _The plot is a bit too mature, but either way, it's a great story"_

 _•_ ** _Me_** _: "It wasn't supposed to be mature, but I personally see it as a coming-of-age vignette."_

 _–_ ** _"_ _List of Upcoming Pairings_ _"_** _:_

 _• **Lori x Bobby** : "Bobby confronts a former love about Lori."_

 _• **Lucy x Rocky** : "Rocky asks Lucy out."_


	2. Chapter 2: Lori x Bobby

_**Story #2: " A Way of Saying Goodbye" (Lori x Bobby; one-sided Bobby x "Sara")  
Plot**: Contemplating whether love is worth it, Bobby takes Lori to meet a former girlfriend of his. **  
Characters** : Lori Loud, Bobby Santiago, "Sara Summers" **  
Genre** : Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Drama, Supernatural **  
Rated** : T/PG-13 (for mature themes, suggestive material, and an overall bittersweet ending) **  
**_

 _ **(5:00 PM)**_

He didn't call. He didn't call one bit today.

 _She_ didn't call. _She_ didn't call one bit today.

How could she, though? She was _dead_.

Bobby stood in front of her grave, a gentle gaze sprinkling all over it. He wore a black trench coat and a black suit jacket above a white long-sleeve collared shirt, a black vest, and a pair of black dress pants with matching shoes. He had a bouquet of roses in one hand, a Colt M1991A1 in the other. He placed down the bouquet, but not the handgun. Like he did with the grave, he gently gazed at the firearm and then back at the aforementioned grave; he then proceeded to glance back and forth at the two objects. He sighed and began to gently murmur under his breath:

"Listen, honey... I don't know if you're okay with this, but... I'm seeing someone. She's just like you: smart, sensitive, and sexy. She has what I consider the trifecta - three qualities that make the perfect girlfriend. With that being said... I'm sorry. I'm _so_ sorry that you're here today. To be honest...I kinda wish you were here. If Lori wasn't available, I wish _you_ were. But you're not. You're not _here_. You're _there_. Nobody wanted you to leave, but you needed to. For that, I have to move on. I had to. I hope one day..."

Bobby sniveled and wiped away his tentative tears, not caring a _damn_ if the suit was stained.

"I hope one day that you'll understand."

Bobby leaned down and plucked out one single rose from the bouquet, holding it by his side with the intent of giving it to Lori. As he turned to walk away...

 ** _"I understand."_**

Bobby stopped dead in his tracks and, after a minute of hesitation, turned to find... _her_...floating upon her grave.

 _"Sunset...?"_

 ** _"Hello, Bobby."_**

Sunset Shimmer hadn't aged a day, her soft smile being a testament to that fact. She wore a purple long-sleeve shirt tucked into an orange skirt, her red-and-yellow shimmering sun necklace hanging appropriately from her neck. Her vivid crimson with brilliant yellow striped hair, moderate cyan eyes, and light amber skin greatly glistened in the falling sun, mirroring her appearance two nights before her passing. She was as beautiful as a steel magnolia.

"Sunset...is that really you?"

 ** _"Yes, Bobby. You're not that much of an idiot."_**

 _Snarky. And snarky, too._ Bobby couldn't help but mimic Sunset's soft smile.

"Thanks, Sunset." Bobby mock complimented his former love.

 ** _"Welcome, Bobby."_** Sunset mock responded her former love.

"Wow, you look beautiful." / **_"Whoa, you look handsome."_**

Bobby and Sunset's respective pairs of eyes widened at the same time they finished their respective remarks about each other. They both shared a laugh,

"Huh. Things never change, do they?"

 ** _"No, they_** ** _never_** ** _do. So...you're seeing someone? Who is she, and what is she like?"_**

"Her name is Lori. She's just like you: smart, sensitive, and sexy. Of course, I said this to you already. Though, I don't think I remember any times where she has let go of her phone."

 ** _"Hmm, she shares similarities with me? That's a good sign. That's kinda like me with either my journal or my guitar."_**

"Speaking of your journal and guitar... I don't know if you want _or_ need me to give them back - "

 ** _"Oh, Bobby. You don't need_** ** _or_** ** _want to. You need to keep the journal, you want to return the guitar. I'm planning on playing some tunes in the good place."_**

"I'll keep that in mind." Bobby suddenly frowned and sadly sighed, something Sunset was somehow expecting, "Listen, I know I said this already, but... I'm sorry. I'm _so_ sorry that you're there and not here."

 ** _"Oh, baby..."_** Sunset floated towards Bobby and placed a kiss onto his cheek, **_"You don't have to be. It was my decision and my decision alone. Plus, you and Ronnie Anne needed to be save. Meeting Lori has to be the one of the greatest - if not_** ** _the greatest_** ** _\- things you've ever experienced. It just proves that you've finally moved on. You and I... We're both free."_**

Bobby wanted to apologize even further when Sunset had said this (specifically that last part), but he stopped himself and took in what she had said. She had a point. She had one iota of a point. She wanted this to happen. She wanted to die in order to protect the people she held dear. She, even if she didn't admit it, knew this was necessary.

Sunset loved Bobby just as Bobby loved Sunset.

"Maybe you're right. I still can't help but feel that I could've protected you more."

 ** _"You have Ronnie Anne. Make her your motivation to try harder and better. Never give up and never go back, right?"_**

Bobby suddenly smiled and nodded, "Right."

The former couple shared a hug before Sunset pulled away, **_"Oh! I just had an idea! Close your eyes shut and hold your hand out. Your_** ** _right_** ** _hand, please."_**

Bobby could only nod and did what he told. He had held his right hand - the hand that clutched the rose - and closed both of his eyes whilst indirectly facing Sunset, who slipped off her necklace and went for the rose, pulling it away and placing her necklace in the palm of his hand. Bobby felt the rose slip out of his grasp and something else substituted for it in its place. It was cold, metal, and chain-linked. He opened them when she was presumably finished, opening up his hand and gasping upon he laid eyes on the accessory. When he glanced up and faced her, she smiled and shrugged,

 ** _"For Lori. She would love it... Well, not that I don't."_**

"No, Sunset. I can't take this. It's yours."

 ** _"No, Bobby. It's_** ** _yours_** ** _...for when you give it to Lori. Besides... I'm_** ** _dead_** ** _."_**

Bobby was taken aback by Sunset's explanation as to why she was giving the necklace to him, but didn't protest any longer, "Alright then. Thank you, Sunset. I owe you."

 ** _"I'm_** ** _dead_** ** _, Bobby,"_** Sunset repeated and shook her head in disagreement, **_"Besides, you wedding Lori later on is you paying your debt."_**

"Then wish me luck, then." In thanks, Bobby hugged Sunset, who then placed a soft kiss on his lips,

 ** _"Happy Valentine's Day, Bobby Santiago."_**

"Happy Valentine's Day, Sunset Shimmer."

Bobby watched on as Sunset faded away from existence and soared into the heavens, her smile being the last of what he saw of her. He then walked away when he was mostly certain she was gone, a newfound confidence found within himself.

* * *

 _ **(7:00 PM)**_

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Bobby?"

"Lori, I highly doubt any serial killers or brain-eating zombies will find us here."

"Well, I'm sure that the cemetery is the birthplace of the latter."

"Hopefully, the serial killers in question would save us first...if they don't plan on _killing_ us first, that is."

Lori and Bobby had (somehow, in Lori's case) found themselves at the town cemetery. Lori had absolutely no idea in the slightest why Bobby would lead her to a place like this (not that she found it offensive or anything of the sort), but she almost automatically assumed that he jumped the shark when it came to dates. She had given a chance, however, and knew to expect the unexpected.

Bobby did the exact same thing when it came to a family like the Louds.

Lori was led by Bobby to a tombstone labeled _'Sunset Shimmer'_. Complete confusion overtook her until he elaborated,

"Lori, I would like you to meet my former girlfriend... Sunset Shimmer."

Lori's eyebrows furrowed at the revelation and slowly smiled, crouching down to her knees to get a better look, "Hello, Sunset. It's a privilege to meet you."

 ** _"The privilege's mine...to meet you, that is."_**

Lori's eyes widened and let out a short squeak, leaping into Bobby's arms as they both looked on as the tombstone glowed and the grave shook. A spirit slowly appeared. A spirit of a vivid crimson and brilliant yellow haired girl donning a date dress.

 ** _"Hello, Lori. I take it the date went well, Bobby?"_**

"Yeah, Sunset. Thanks for asking."

Lori glanced back and forth between her boyfriend and her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend before slowly getting down from his arms, "I'm not hallucinating, am I?"

"I asked myself the same question. I won't worry, though."

 ** _"Yeah, don't worry, Lori. I don't bite."_**

"Ha. I do when I'm frightened."

 ** _"It would make sense. So, Bobby... Did you give her your present yet?"_**

"Oh, no. I was about to. I wanted you to see." Bobby reached into his suit jacket and pulled out Sunset's necklace, hanging it out for Lori's full display. Lori herself marveled at the accessory, rendering herself speechless to the point where she almost didn't answer his question:

"May I?"

Lori could only silently nod, allowing her smile to grow and her boyfriend to slip on the necklace.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Lori."

"Oh, Happy Valentine's Day, Bobby. My Boo-Boo Bear." Lori smiled and planted a kiss onto Bobby's lips. Bobby returned Lori's kiss as Sunset witnessed on with both pride...and hilarity,

 ** _"Heh, heh. "Boo-Boo Bear"?"_**

Bobby broke away from the kiss and scowled at Sunset, who waved her hands around in innocence,

 ** _"Relax, relax. I'm just kidding, Bobby. Anyway, Lori."_**

Lori turned her attention from the necklace to Sunset's smile, **_"Take care of Bobby, okay? He's a keeper."_**

She nodded in response and watched as her boyfriend's former love faded away for a second time, lovingly resting her head on Bobby's shoulder as she did so.

 _Best...Valentine's Day...EVER._

* * *

 ** _A/N_** _: Some of the review highlights:_

 _1)_ ** _Exotos135_** _:_ _"And here, in Loud habitats, we meet the Bobbus Lovelicus in his natural habitat, interacting with the Sunsetus Nonexistii while there's no sign of his usual mate, the Phonelous Lorilei._

 _This was good!_

 _Keep up the good work. :)"_

 _• **Me** : "Thank you! Honestly, I see Bobby and Sunset as a much cuter couple."_

 _2)_ ** _asperman1_** _:_ _"Nice surprise with the sudden crossover"_

 _•_ ** _Me_** _: "I like to experiment."_

 _3)_ ** _Codymitchell1_** _:_ _"wow so sad now i want a sunset story lol :)"_

 _• **Me** : "I'm currently working on a Sunset story that serves as a prequel."_

 _4)_ ** _LuminousShadow_** _:_ _"That was rather cute and interesting! I loved it!"_

 _• **Me** : "Thank you! In another world, Bobby dates Sunset instead of Lori (no offense)..."_


	3. Chapter 3: Lucy x Rocky

_**Story #3: "**_ _ **A Little Piece of Heaven**_ _ **" (Lucy x Rocky)  
Plot**: Rocky asks Lucy out on a movie theater date. **  
Characters** : Lucy Loud, Rocky Spokes **  
Genre** : Romance, Humor, Hurt/Comfort **  
Rated** : T/PG-13 (for mature situations and suggestive material) **  
**_

 _ **(7:00 PM)**_

 _ **("**_ _ **A Little Piece of Heaven**_ _ **" - Avenged Sevenfold) [Actual Song/Instrumental]**_

As the Louds exited the restaurant, they couldn't help but feel good about themselves. They now knew that Lincoln was in good hands. Rita and Lynn Sr. in particular were proud of their son; considering that he was the only boy in their family, this would make sense.

Lori notified that Bobby would be taking her elsewhere, insisting that they continue their date. Informing them to be back in time to pick up Lincoln, they then began ushering the rest of the girls in the family van, all the while chattering about Lincoln's girlfriend.

"Do you think that Ronnie Anne is the right girl for Lincoln?" Lynn Sr. crossed his arms as he shot an uncertain look at his wife.

"If Bobby is the right guy for Lori, then Ronnie Anne is the right girl for Lincoln." Rita reassured his husband by placing a kiss onto his cheek, "Besides, how do you think you and I both met?"

Lynn Sr. blanched, swearing that he saw a wink and an eyebrow raise when she backed up her statement concerning Ronnie Anne. _"Rita..."_

"Excuse me."

Rita and Lynn Sr. looked up from their conversation and down to a little boy dressed in a black suit jacket, a shamrock green long-sleeve collared shirt, a pair of navy blue dress pants, and a pair of black dress shoes. He held a bouquet of purple orchids in one hand and a pair of tickets in the other. Beads of sweats dripped from his forehead as he stood there like a nervous wreck.

 _Is he...?_

"Are you Mr. and Mrs. Loud? If so, is Lucy with you?"

 _He is...!_

"Yes!" Rita spoke so suddenly, startling both the boy and Lynn Sr., "We are Lucy's parents! Lucy's in the van, but I can go get her if you want."

Before she could wait for a response / he could give an actual response, Rita opened the door and called for her sixth daughter, "Lucy! You have a friend here who wants to see you!"

Lucy herself exited the van after a minute or so, facing her so-called friend. She gasped in shock and fell face first into the concrete curb, catching the attention of her eight sisters, her two parents, and the one boy.

 _"Rocky...?"_ Lucy surprisingly remained intact as her parents helped her up and her sisters watched on.

"Hey, Lucy. I don't if this is a good time or if you want to, but do you want to...go watch a movie with me?"

Rocky nervously smiled at Lucy, who blushed at the sight of her crush. In a _suit_. _Asking_ _ **her**_ _of all girls to a_ _ **movie**_ _of all things_.

"Yes." Lucy slowly smiled as well...

 ** _"KYAHHHHHH!"_** And frowned fast as her sisters screamed in happiness and joy. Lucy, Rocky, Rita, and Lynn Sr. looked on with confusion (and, in Lucy's case, allusive annoyance).

"Are they like this often?" Rocky tilted his head.

" _Too_ often." Lucy shook her head.

* * *

A hefty 25 minutes later, the van arrived at the local movie theater. When Rocky announced that he and Lucy were planning to watch a horror movie, Lynn Sr. was quickly met with worry while Rita was quickly met with skepticism. He surprisingly somehow managed to convince them both that there was a stark contrast between the hard **_'R'_** realism of the B-movie slasher **_The Harvester_** and the soft **_'PG-13'_** idealism of the supernatural thriller _ **Winchester**_. He also explained that despite the toned-down rating and low budget (compared to the _high_ budget/ _risen-up_ rating of its competitor), **_Winchester_** still proved to be a critical and commercial success and maybe an even bigger one than **_The Harvester_**.

It was confusing for Lynn Sr. and understandable for Rita; both parents gave the okay for the couple to see the movie.

As the van drove off elsewhere, Lucy and Rocky walked towards the front entrance and to the box office, tickets in hand. In the box office was a young adult male with emerald green eyes, messy red hair, and tentatively tan skin. He wore a navy blue denim jacket above a black long-sleeve regular shirt, a pair of navy blue jeans, and a pair of black-and-white Converse sneakers _**(3)**_ in place of his usual uniform when working around this hour.

"Hi, Mr. Logan! How's your night?"

Mr. Logan looked up from his iPhone and grinned at the sight of his protege, "Oh, hey, Rocky! The night's going well...so far, at least." He chuckled and scratched the back of his head, a sign that the wrath of his five-year girlfriend was incoming,

"Wait a minute. Something's changed...besides your clothes." He observed the couple - _What the huh?!_ "Aw, Rocky! You got yourself a girlfriend! That's impressive, even for me!"

Lucy and Rocky exchanged blushes and they both waved their hands in innocence, "No, no! We're not a couple - !"

 _"Not yet, at least..."_ Lucy muttered under her breath just as a young adult female entered from behind Mr. Logan. She wore a raven black ponytail, a long-sleeve dress with a top of dark blue and a bottom of darker blue, a black jacket with a matching pair of fingerless gloves, and a pair of black flat-bottomed boots **_(4)_**.

"Garfield." Mr. Logan jumped at his girlfriend's presence, startling both Lucy and Rocky, "Stop teasing the kids."

"Oh! Hi, Rae-Rae. I wasn't teasing them, I was just... Um..."

" _Teasing_ them? Okay, I believe you." _'Rae-Rae'_ lifted up and threw _'Garfield'_ aside with frightening force, "Forgive my boyfriend, kids. He can be a bit of a _grass stain_. The name's Rachel Roth, but my friends call me... _'Raven'_."

"Nice to meet you, Miss Raven." Rocky shook Raven's hand and introduced Lucy to her, "This is my best friend Lucy. We have two tickets to see _Split_."

Raven's former stern expression soon softened at the sound of the movie choice, "Aw, _Split_. How romantic. Are you sure you two don't _die_ for these kind of things?"

"Don't worry, Raven. We _live_ for these kind of things."

Raven smiled with pride and shook Lucy's hand as well, "Go on inside. Personally, I recommend the _'Sweet-and-Salty Combo'_. I'd hurry, though; the theater's packed around this time."

"Thanks, Miss Raven." Lucy and Rocky ran inside, gave their tickets to the usher, ordered indeed the _'Sweet-and-Salty Combo'_ , and rushed into the cinema to find their seats. All the while, Raven kept a watchful eye on them both just as Garfield woke up,

"Whoa. What in the blue heck just happened?"

Raven glanced back at her boyfriend, swiftly turning around and pulling him up by the collar. Garfield nervously stared directly into the eyes of his girlfriend,

"Come on, _Beast Boy_. Let's go watch some groovy movies."

* * *

 _Inside the theater..._

Lucy and Rocky somehow managed to never lose focus of the movie and each other at the same time. A few seats behind them, Raven and Beast Boy actually focused _more_ on the couple and _less_ on the movie. Rocky, unaware of the movie theater couple watching them, finally decided to make a move...

At the _worst possible moment_.

 ** _BANG!_**

The shotgun blast into the ceiling caught the audience off guard and the movie couple on theirs. The gunmen snatched up the two people they saw - Lucy and Rocky - and used them as hostages.

 ** _"Nobody move! Or I'll blow the kids's brains out!"_**

Raven and Beast Boy exchanged glances that clearly read _'Are You Fricking Kidding Me?'_ and stood up, raising their respective pairs of hands in innocence, "Alright, good sir. We surrender. We _all_ surrender."

Gunman #1 glanced at Gunman #2 and then back at Beast Boy, whom he scowled at, "Oh, so you think that you're some British smartass, huh?"

"Yeah, actually."

In the midst of the heated argument, Rocky reached out for Lucy's hand and grasped it, eliciting a soft gasp from her. She glanced at him, who could only glance back and motioned up to the gunmen who was holding themselves hostage. Lucy's eyes widened, _Are you seriously suggesting...?_

 _Yeah, actually._ Rocky nodded.

 ** _"Listen, dickless! If you had brains, you'd know better than to interfere!"_**

"Well, sir, if _you_ had brains, _you'd_ know better than to interfere...with a _guy with a bomb strapped to his chest!_ "

Everybody's eyes (sans Raven, who knew he was bluffing) widened when a time bomb suddenly appeared out of thin air and onto his chest. The gunmen, now aware of the predicament they found themselves in, were now _un_ aware to do now. They could do nothing but say:

 ** _"SHIT! SHOOT HIM! SHOOT HIM! SHOOT HIM!"_**

Rocky, noticing Gunman #2 raising up his suppressed MAC-11, took the opportunity and stomped hard on his left foot, causing the gunman to shout out in pain before being elbowed by Rocky. Lucy mirrored Rocky's moves on Gunman #1, elbowing him first before stomping on his _right_ foot. Beast Boy and Raven ran down the stairs and tackled the gunmen; the former performed his martial arts moves on the troublesome twosome, the latter led the two children away from the line of fire. Lucy and Rocky looked on in amazement as Raven joined Beast Boy in battle, her Wing Chun abilities clearly matching up to his Muay Thai abilities. After a few minutes of throwing punches and sending kicks, the couple disarmed the gunmen of their respective firearms.

"You forget to chamber a round in... _smartass_." Raven smirked and retorted, proceeding to do just that.

* * *

A hour later, the police arrived and arrested the gunmen, checking some of the evacuated audience members from minor injuries. Lucy and Rocky sat on the curb as they both watched Beast Boy and Raven talked with the officers. Lucy glanced over to a popcorn-clutching Rocky, who seemed definitely despondent,

"What's the matter, Rocky?"

"I ruined everything, didn't I, Lucy? They... They came in there and almost killed us... Almost killed _you_..."

"Oh, you didn't ruin everything, Rocky. We survived, didn't we?"

"...Yeah. Still, I... I just wanted you to have a good time tonight."

"I am."

Rocky glanced up and was about to Lucy what she meant...but he swiftly got that answer.

Their eyes widened in realization of what was happening, but they slowly closed in relaxation. They both wrapped their arms around each other, both enjoying this moment of pure bliss. When they broke away from the kiss, they both wore the biggest smiles each had worn in the night,

"So... What do you want to do, Rocky?"

"Well... I'm pretty sure that we missed the remainder of _Split_ , Lucy. ... Wanna go see _John Wick: Chapter 2_?"

"...Yes."

Lucy and Rocky both then ran back into the theater, ready to continue their date night. Raven, Beast Boy, and the police officer looked on, concern in the latter's case,

"Shouldn't we tell them that the movie theater was just ground zero for a hostage situation?"

"Let them go for now, officer." Raven reassured him, "After all, they're just kids. They never listen, do they?"

"No, Rae-Rae," Beast Boy kissed her on the forehead, "They never do."

* * *

 _ **A/N**_ _: This is the longest chapter I've written so far. For that, I'm both proud and disappointed; I don't think this chapter focused on Lucy and Rocky like it should've. If you want to revise this, send a review in that section. If not, then yay me!_

 _Some of the chapter review highlights:_

 _1)_ _ **DelfinoBlu**_ _: "Great work! I like this episode! Rocky is really so cute! And now one sweet story love for Clyde! Awwww! Please, please!_  
 _P.s. Happy Valentine!"_

 _•_ _ **Me**_ _: "I'm updating on Clyde's sweet love story right now! Happy Valentine to you, too!"_

 _2)_ _ **Exotos135**_ _: "I think it was okay._

 _Also, is it me, or did Lucy just get stupidly lucky in the shipping naming department?_

 _Keep up the good work, happy valentine's day. :)"_

 _•_ _ **Me**_ _: "Thanks for your insight. Happy Valentine's Day. :)"_

 _3)_ _ **LuminousShadow**_ _: "Man, this was great! Ever since the episode Back in Black, I've loved this ship and it was awesome!"_

 _•_ _ **Me**_ _: "Thank you for your opinion! Lucky (_ _ **Lucy x Rocky**_ _) was awesome since that episode!"_


	4. Chapter 4: Clyde x Cristina

_**_**Story #4: "**_**_ _ ** _ **Where Is Your Heart At**_**_ _ ** _? " (Clyde x Cristina)  
Plot_** _: Two kids unexpectedly and inexplicably fall in love despite the unusual circumstances.  
__ _ _ **Characters** : Clyde McBride, Cristina McKinnon (fan surname; Cooke/Savino), Howard and Harold McBride  
 **Genre** : Romantic Situational Comedy  
 **Rated** : K+/PG (for some language and themes)__

 _ ** _ **("**_**_ _ ** _ **Where Is Your Heart At**_**_ _ ** _ **? " - Jamie Callum) [From **_**__**_**Meet The Robinsons**_**_ _ ** _ **]**_**_

 _ ** _ **(5:00 PM)**_**_

Somehow, somewhat, Cristina had been persuaded (friendly forced, in her parent's case) to go out on this Valentine's Day date. No, she had absolutely nothing against this particular day. Yes, she had slightly something against this particular day. It was nothing personal, it was just business... Family business. Her parents hadn't spared no expense, believing that money couldn't buy their happiness. It was totally true from the start, but the sticky situation she found herself entangled in was nothing more than hypocritical humor to them. Here, her parents who held their basic belief concerning money and happiness were now ordering their __own daughter__ no less to use the former object (the money) to buy the latter object (the happiness).

How fitting.

As the car drove off elsewhere, Cristina approached the front entrance and stopped in her tracks upon laying her eyes on her reflection. Making a mental note to thank her mom for going easy on the make-up, she moved on from her facial features to her clothing characteristics. She wore a pair of golden hoop earrings, a pair of black leather Mary Janes, and a pair of navy blue elbow-length gloves that went with a navy blue dress. The dress was what caught her attention. Instead of her usual navy blue blouse, it was a dress with... _ _complicated__ colors. It looked black-and-blue and gold-and-white _**_**(5)**_**_.

Cristina herself was mostly black-and-white.

"Excuse me, young girl."

Cristina glanced up from her reflection and to a middle-aged woman donning a purple-and-pink dress and a sincere smile, "Are you lost?"

"Oh, no. I'm just waiting for my date."

The woman brightened up instantly, "Oh! I believe he just ran in! Follow me."

Cristina followed the woman inside and immediately got lost in the crowd. Fortunately, she took her hand and led forward to a white round table with a mini pot of roses and a scented candle. __Mmm, apple cinnamon. Whoever my date is, he has some great sense of...candle scents.__ The woman seated her and introduced herself:

"Alright. My name is Cookie Crumbles - I know, odd name, isn't it? - and I'm the hostess of the restaurant serving as your waitress for tonight. Would you like a drink?"

"...Yes, please. Sweet tea with lemon on the side."

"Aw, that's __sweet__!" Cookie Crumbles giggled at her pun as she wrote her order, "Your date ordered the same drink...albeit __without__ lemon. I'll be back with your beverage."

"Thank you." As Miss Crumbles walked off, Cristina contemplated for a moment's notice:

 _ _Huh. Apple cinnamon candles, sweet tea with or without lemons, ruby red roses... Whoever my date is, he has some great sense of...everything. "Everything" being my favorite interests. Was this guy (assuming my date is a guy) a serial stalker who, instead of being 11, was actually__ _ ** _ **31**_**_ _ _? No, no. Cristina, get your head out of the gutter. You don't have automatically assume anything of the sort...but you can expect the unexpected.__

"Cristina?"

Cristina snapped out of her deep thoughts for a second time to glance down this time. Her eyes met with his. The eyes in question belonged to an African-American boy around her age dressed in a black-and-white suit with matching dress shoes and a silver-buckled belt _**_**(6)**_**_. __Is__ _ ** _he_**_ _ _...?__ _ ** _ **He**_**_ _ _is...?__

 _ _"Clyde...?"__

"...You remembered my name?"

Cristina blinked in bewilderment, "Well, yeah. You're Lincoln's friend."

"...Oh. Okay. Well...what are you doing here?"

"It depends. What are __you__ doing here?"

Clyde blanched blankly, as if that was even possible, "Oh. Uh... Well... I'm waiting for my date. She was supposed to arrive around this time."

"Funny. The same thing's happening to me. He's supposed to come here, too."

"Ha. I highly doubt it. Do you mind if I sit down with you? Maybe we can wait together."

"...Not at all."

"Oh. Okay then." Clyde then turned to walk away from Cristina's table, his smile somehow slightly faltering.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"I thought you said __'No'__."

"You misinterpreted me. I meant as in __'No, I don't mind if you sit down with me'__."

"..." Clyde could only stand and stare before muttering an "Oh."

Cristina motioned Clyde to a seat beside her, which he took with readily reluctance. At that time, Miss Crumbles returned with Clyde and Cristina's drinks,

"I'm so sorry, dear. There was a little accident in the kitchen, but I managed you and your date's drinks - Oh, is this him?"

Cristina and Clyde exchanged glances for the _first_ time. ( _ _Cristina__ , **__**Clyde**__** , and **__**Both**__** )

 _ ** _ **"Yes."**_**_ / __"No."__

And then the _second_ time.

 _ _"Yes."__ / **__**"No."**__**

And then the _third_ time.

 ** _ _ **"**__** ** _ _ **Sure. Why not?**__** ** _ _ **"**__**

Miss Crumbles cocked her head in doubt before smiling and serving them their beverages, "We'll see."

* * *

 _ ** **(7:00 PM)****_

Somehow, somewhat, for the next two hours, Clyde and Cristina ended up being each other's dates for the evening, no signs of their own arriving any time soon. However, they surprisingly shared some similarities (such as their hidden affinity for video games and comics) and enjoyed each other's company, making this quote-on-quote "date" wonderfully worthwhile.

"So, Cristina... I guess your secret admirer didn't show up after all, huh?" Clyde recalled the soul-searching subject from two hours earlier.

"Well, I wouldn't consider him a secret admirer, Clyde. If he were such, he would have the decency to show up tonight."

 _ _Well, technically, he did indeed, Cristina...__

Suddenly, a round of cheers and applause went off like a gun, but Clyde still managed to make-out Cristina from all the commotion, "Is that... _ _Lincoln__?"

Clyde choked on his drink and faced Cristina's direction to find indeed Lincoln standing there on the dance floor. Worried that his best friend of all people might witness and tease him on a date (the term still used __very__ loosely here), his worries eventually subsided when he saw another person with him acting as his presumed dance partner. __This might be useful to__ _ ** _ **my**_**_ _ _advantage...__

 _ _"Clyde..."__

Clyde turned to Cristina, who wore a disapproving expression masked by a cheeky grin, "Don't even __think__ about it."

"No, I wasn't."

"Sure, you weren't. Come on."

Clyde and Cristina went over to the dance floor, where Lincoln and Ronnie Anne stood.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Ronnie Anne."

"Happy Valentine's Day...Lincoln."

Ronnie Anne softly kissed Lincoln on the tip of his nose and hugged him, Lincoln's primary thought being: __Yes! She didn't call me "Lame-O" for once.__

"Just don't get used to it...Lame-O." She giggled as she continued hugging him, who scoffed in annoyance.

 _ _I spoke too soon, didn't I?__

"Yes, you did." His eyes widened and glanced towards her, but she feigned ignorance and continued hugging him in comfort. He shrugged and hugged her back, anyway.

 _ _Best. Valentine's Day. EVER!__

"Lincoln?"

Lincoln's head shot up as he broke away from the hug, confusing Ronnie Anne. He and she turned around to find his former crush and the one girl who kept him running after her for all those years before the other her.

 _ _"Cristina...?"__

Lincoln and Ronnie Anne observed Cristina from head to toe, from her golden hoop earrings to her black leather Mary Jane flats. What caught their attention was the dress she wore. Instead of her usual navy blue blouse, it was a dress with... _ _complicated__ colors. It looked black-and-blue and gold-and-white.

"Hello, Lincoln." Cristina shot Lincoln a small yet sincere smile and acknowledged his girlfriend, "Ronnie Anne."

"Cristina." Ronnie Anne strained a small yet solid smile and acknowledged his boyfriend's former crush. She was undoubtedly uncomfortable at Cristina's appearance. Not with anger, but with regret instead.

"You're still not mad about that time in the hospital, are you?" Ronnie Anne couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.

Cristina, instead of being mad, was being subtle, "Oh, no. Neither of us knew what we were thinking. We were both concerned for the same boy."

Lincoln glanced back and forth between his girlfriend and his former crush; no doubt jealousy had overcome him, "What? Who? What boy?"

Then Ronnie Anne and Cristina, after turning to the former's boyfriend / the latter's former crush, glanced back at each other,

"Is he always __this__ dense?" Cristina made a confused hand gesture to Lincoln.

"Not __entirely__." Ronnie Anne shook her head and chuckled.

"Hey! I resent that!" Lincoln scowled just as Clyde walked over, having heard the conversation,

"It's true, actually."

 _ _"Clyde?"__ Lincoln was genuinely shocked by the sight of his best friend in a suit and tie, "What are you doing here?"

Realizing his mistake, Clyde shot a nervous look at Cristina, who shot him a nervous look in return, "Well... It's a funny story, actually."

 _ _A funny story that can be saved for another time...__

Meanwhile, Clyde's dads watched from afar as their son interacted with his friends and date.

"Oh, this is sweet, isn't it, Harold?"

"Yes indeed, Howard. Indeed..."

A young lesbian couple approached their table, which just happened to be a few seats from the McBride patriarchs. The first girl had very pale spring green skin, pale light greyish opal/light grey hair, brilliant gold eyes, and a pink sparkle-sprinkled dress with matching heels. The second girl had light apple greenish grey skin, moderate cobalt blue hair with light fuchsia stripes, moderate cyan eyes, and a blue diamond-studded dress with matching flats.

"Aw, is that your son? He looks so handsome!" Girl #1 commented.

"Eh, the tie could use some work," Girl #2 remarked.

"What's wrong with neckties?"

"There's nothing wrong with neckties in this case...in spite of the fact I specifically said that bowties are the best kind."

"I concur," Harold turned around to face the girls, "and thank you for complimenting our son."

"Aw!" Girl #1 cooed after putting two and two together, "But of course! It's kinda my job. My name's Lyra Heartstrings, and this is my girlfriend Sweetie Drops."

"Oi! I prefer Bon-Bon, __honey__ ," Girl #2 chastised Lyra, tainting that last part with a drip of sarcasm. Lyra herself was unfazed by Sweetie's retort, resting her head affectionately on her shoulder as they sat down. Meanwhile, from a distance, another love interest of Clyde watched the "lovely" scene unfold.

Yeah, you saw the quotation marks there, right?

Haiku was no stranger when it came to romance, but how it felt was another thing entirely. With Clyde, she felt a strange sensation swirling in her stomach, shining a light upon her dark heart. She was the ice queen, and he was the...person who defrosted the ice queen's heart. A special kind of bond formed between them both, given their penchant for one-sided crushes (Clyde was to Lori as Haiku was to her 200-year-old vampire boy). Of course, this self-proclaimed unbreakable bond was indeed broken in quite the most...understandable way possible.

That damned floozy stole him from her.

Considering how she saw it...that was putting it kindly.

* * *

 _ ** _A/N_**_ _ _: Just a short snippet for those wanting a Clyde-centric story. I am also working on a R-rated spin-off entitled__ _ ** _"_**_ _ ** _Valentine's Slay_**_ _ ** _"_**_ _ _. No other details!__

 _ _To wit, these stories don't necessarily have to be primarily romantic; they can be friendship-based as well. Also, f__ _ _or those wanting to see some essence of Howard x Harold / Clyde x Haiku, that last part was just apologetic temporal filler. Sorry...__

 _ _Until then, Happy Early Valentine's Day to all!__


	5. Chapter 5: Lola x Carlino

**_Story #5 [formerly #6]: " Caballero en Armadura Brillante" (Lola x Carlino)  
_**

 ** _Plot_** _: It turns out that Winston isn't Lola's knight in shining armor. (May continue in a separate spin-off story. Can't confirm, though...)_ ** _  
Characters_** _: Lola Loud, Carlino Casagrande, Winston (mentioned), Lindsay Sweetwater (mentioned)_ ** _  
Genre_** _: Romantic Comedy...in a nutshell_ ** _  
Rated_** _: K+/PG (just to be safe)_

 ** _(7:00 PM)_**

The family van arrived back at the restaurant, well intent on waiting the night away. Or, at the very least, until three of their ten children finished their respective dates. Little did they know, it would add up to four.

As the family themselves entered the establishment to wait for their children, they saw numerous couples seated at the majority of the tables. Among the couples were Lincoln and Ronnie Anne sitting with Clyde and Cristina at a table together; Clyde's fathers were talking with a young female couple a few tables away. Not among the couples (obviously) were Lori and Bobby and Lucy and Rocky: the latter couple at the movie theater, the former couple at...the cemetery, a late-arrival spoiler for those unaware of the third chapter. Not straying from the topic of couples, one pretty princess found these celebrations of romance _not_ pretty.

Like Haiku, Lola was no stranger to romance, but it was because of our overexposure to fairy tales. Her mindset was stemmed into the stereotypical structure of children's stories: princess meets prince, bad guy (or girl) breaks them up, prince saves princess, princess marries prince. She knew better, however. She knew that the reality she lived was not the fantasy she wished to live in.

She wished it was, though.

Lana noticed that her polar opposite was trailing behind and looking...gloomier than usual. This caused her to trail behind and talk with her.

"Lola? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Lola unintentionally snapped at her twin sister, who backtracked in alarm. A minute of uncertainty later, Lana nodded in understanding.

"All right. Sorry I asked."

"... Yeah."

The twins followed their family to the upstairs level just as another family entered from the ground level. They were an extended family like the Louds, but they were of Hispanic heritage. Eight members plus their pets (or, _minus_ , as they were immediately released into the restaurant's pet zone) were currently in at the moment, all dressed for the occasion; some went not over-the-top for their suits or dresses. One such soul was Carlino Casagrande, the second youngest son of the Casagrande Family. He was dressed in practically the mirror version of his everyday outfit: A red suit jacket above a black collared undershirt with a dark grey necktie, a pair of navy blue dress trousers, and white dress shoes. He wasn't exactly a sharp-dressed man, but anyone who laid eyes on him (especially the girls his age) would think he was _absolutely_ close enough.

Of course, he wouldn't admit it.

"It's sad that Maria couldn't join us tonight because of her night shift," Carlota bemoaned the lack of her aunt's presence.

"Well, you know what they say, _hija_ : Duty calls, even on holidays."

This wasn't completely true. The patriarch of the Casagrandes knew _exactly_ where his daughter was at the current moment. That would be saved for another time, however, as to not detract from the main story beforehand.

The Casagrandes traveled upstairs as well for the view, unaware that the Louds were attending the restaurant at this very moment. The table they were seated at was mere feet away from them. Carlino sat out on the outside so it would be easier for him to head towards the bathroom, which he did after an uncomfortable atmosphere began to build in the air. Unbeknownst to him, Lola did the _exact_ same thing.

Lola huffed and puffed all the way to the bathroom. She was absolutely livid with her supposed crush: _Why, that two-timing jerk! Yes, we never dated, but he at least returned my feelings! Now he's hanging out with that gosh-darned rival of mine Lindsay Sweetwater! The nerve of him! Why, I oughta... I oughta..._

Carlino couldn't finish his thought out of sadness. He was absolutely love-struck with his supposed crush: _But I can't. I still love her...but is this what love does? Does love fool you into doing foolish things for the people you love...but who don't love you back? Well, if this is what love does..._

Both shaking their respective thoughts from their respective minds, the two entered their respective bathrooms. So, for your consideration, you can just visualize a split screen like from the movies. Washing their hands and their faces, their nervousness soon reverted to determination, deciding now not to let the former emotion get in the way of the latter emotion. The confident smiles soon replaced those worried frowns, the both of them determined to make the most of their already troublesome night.

They probably should've thought twice about walking out on the same time. _Should've..._

 ** _THUD!_**

 ** _"OOF!"_**

 ** _"Hey! Watch where you're_** ** _– !"_**

In that moment, everything seemed to crawl to a stop. The two, upon regaining their vision and senses, gazed at a rather...well, _"I-don't-know-how-to-put-it"_ way. How best to describe it? Well, for starters, their mouths were hung agape wide enough for a group of flies to swarm inside (except not really). Their eyes began to mold into heart-shaped pupils (which isn't humanly possible). Their bodies (from the neck to the waist down) started to sweat as if they were in the Sahara Desert.

 _"... Hi."_

 _"... Hola."_

Carlino got up first so he could help Lola up. For some reason, the hand-to-hand contact sent chills up her spine. The _good_ kind.

"Um...sorry about that," Lola nervously scratched the back of her head.

"Oh, no. It was _my_ fault, _la_ _señora_. I should've been watching where I was going."

Lola opened her mouth to refute that claim, but caught wind of Carlino's charming demeanor; she was immediately swoon by it. "Ooh, I _love_ your manners."

Carlino decided that two could play this game that Lola inexplicably concocted out of thin air. "I was born with them, _chica_. The name's Carlino Casagrande, but you can call me Carl."

"The name's Lola. Lola Loud."

"Pleasure to meet you, _Señora Lola_."

"The pleasure's all mine, _Señor Carl_."

* * *

 _ **A/N** : So, a late Valentine's Day gift for you all...even if this is half-finished. Indeed, this was supposed to be Chapter 6, but issues with Chapter 5 prompted this one to be written pronto. Plus, **Weavillain** was right: Carlola is **adorable**!_

 _Until then, Happy Valentine's Day to all and to all a good night!_


End file.
